Erotica Romana

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Sensuality, art, and ancient desire meet in poetic form.
In Erotica Romana, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe departs from his typical philosophical tone to explore the lush, sensual world of ancient Rome. Written during his Italian journey, this cycle of poems is a bold celebration of physical beauty, erotic longing, and classical passion.

Through vivid imagery, emotional candor, and refined sensuality, Goethe captures fleeting moments of desire and the timeless tension between restraint and abandon. These verses reflect not only carnal yearning, but also the poet’s awe before Roman art, sculpture, and the raw force of the human form.

Erotica Romana is an intimate, daring, and artistically rich work—blending poetry, eroticism, and cultural reflection from one of the greatest minds of Western literature.